Sweet Flavors

From grape molasses to honey to fruit juice and sugar, Persian food likes the flavor of sweet to contrast with the sour and the bitter. Acidity and bitterness in food often need a touch of sweetness to balance any sharpness or heightened astringency in a dish. Just as with a fine wine, a little fruitiness smooths the rough edges in food. Of course, the wine has to have enough of its own ripeness to stand up to the food to pair successfully. Don’t forget that higher alcohol can often make a wine seem sweeter, so a ripe, fruity wine is a great choice with a slightly sweet dish. When enjoying fruity dishes, try Chardonnay or Viognier for white, or a Merlot, Shiraz or Zinfandel for red. But remember: If a dish is actually sweet, a truly sweet late-harvest or fortified wine is the best way to go.